


sharing space

by BookRockShooter



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Behavior, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Rated for swearing, They're just dorks, based on a rumored flashback scene from chapter two so, i have no idea if a scene Like This happens but people are saying it does so, idk i just wanted to write something yeet, kinda skjdskd, possible spoilers maybe, post it chapter one at least, sharing a hammock, uhh what else
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 14:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20359759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookRockShooter/pseuds/BookRockShooter
Summary: Eddie scowls and wills his blush away. “No, that’s fucking gross, why would I share with you? I’ll just–”“Aw, c’mon,” Richie says, smirk slipping into more of a half-smile. He drops his hand to pat the space beside him. “This hammock’s too big for just me, anyway.”-*based on a rumored scene from chapter two so possible spoilers!!*





	sharing space

**Author's Note:**

> heard a rumor that richie and eddie share a hammock in a flashback in chapter 2 so uh have This
> 
> i have no idea if this is true or not bc i'm avoiding confirming anything for myself so if you know this is true pls don't tell me sksks i wanna be as surprised as possible
> 
> also ik that this probably isn't At All what happened but who cares!! it's a cute concept and this is what was produced bc i love awkward pining reddie
> 
> enjoy!!

It takes Eddie only a second, really, as he joins his friends on the Denbrough’s patio to realize that there’s not any sitting space left for him. “Gee, thanks, guys,” he says, rolling his eyes when his friends all just grin apologetically at him.

“S-Sorry, man,” Bill says. “I wish the p-p-patio was b-bigger, but…” He shrugs, not looking at all apologetic from where he’s curled up with Mike and Stan on the only couch outside. They’re tangled together in such a way that no one else can sit there, which is why Beverly and Ben have claimed the two wicker chairs that sit beside each other opposite the couch. Bev has her feet propped up on the arm of Ben’s chair.

Eddie just frowns and crosses his arms, debating the pros and cons of just sucking it up and sitting on the ground. At least it’s a wooden patio and not just straight-up grass, but _still_. He’d rather be on the couch.

“This is why you shouldn’t be late, Eds,” Richie pipes up, grinning. He’s sprawled out on the hammock that Bill’s parents strung up only a few weeks ago, arms crossed behind his head and using his leg to swing himself absently. “First come, first served when it comes to the seating arrangements for such a large group, y’know.”

“Large group – shut the fuck up, there’s _seven_ of us,” Eddie snaps, half-tempted to shove Richie out of the hammock and take it for himself. “You don’t deserve that seat.”

The hammock has been the favored seat ever since Bill’s parents set it up. Richie almost always gets it, because he’s an unfair jerk like that, but Mike managed to claim it once and share it with Bill, which is the only reason they’d had enough seats to go around that day.

Eddie eyes Richie in the hammock and then immediately averts his gaze, face flushing, because he thinks to himself for only a second _maybe I can just share with Richie,_ but, god, no. Not only is sharing seats with Richie a nightmare for several reasons already, sharing such a small space with him would be actual hell. If he’s blushing this much from just the image of doing so, he’d probably catch on fire if he actually went through with it. He takes a quick breath and says, strained, “Never mind, I’ll just – I’ll sit on the ground. No big deal.”

“Oh, no, you can take mine, Eddie!” Ben says, half-rising from his seat, but then Richie cuts in and says casually, “No, come and share with me, Eds.” He shifts over as much as he can and gestures, smirking.

_Smirking,_ okay. Eddie scowls and wills his blush away. “No, that’s fucking gross, why would I share with you? I’ll just–”

“Aw, c’mon,” Richie says, smirk slipping into more of a half-smile. He drops his hand to pat the space beside him. “This hammock’s too big for just me, anyway.”

“Yeah, Eddie, go on,” Beverly encourages, grinning at him knowingly. He barely resists the urge to give her the finger and just groans instead, debating with himself for another few seconds before sighing and stomping over.

Whatever, it’s not that big of a deal. So he has a dumb crush on Richie – should that stop him from getting to chill in the hammock? No, of course not.

Hopefully, that is.

God, he’s hopeless.

He pauses next to Richie and looks down at him, debating how to climb in beside him without jostling them too much. Richie just stares back, the smirk returning. “What’re you waiting for, a helping hand? Climb on,” he says.

“Shut up,” Eddie groans. Carefully, he takes a seat on the open side and, after a moment of letting the words _jesus christ what am I doing_ flit through his mind, swings his legs up and finally lays down next to Richie. “There, happy?” he says, face burning. Their shoulders press together and all Eddie can think is _god, why why_ why _must I suffer this way._

“Very,” Richie says, grinning. “You okay, though? Your face is super red.”

_Oh, he knows,_ Eddie thinks, weakly. But he just rolls his eyes and shoves at Richie’s shoulder a little rougher than probably necessary. “I’m fine, it’s just hot out,” he snaps, finally giving in and flipping off his friends when they all start giggling.

“It’s only in the seventies today, though,” Mike says, far too casual. He raises an eyebrow and grins when Eddie gives him the finger again. “What? The rest of us are fine.”

“I dunno, Richie’s looking a little warm too,” Beverly says. Her eyes glint mischievously and Eddie wonders if admitting his crush on Richie to her was a good idea. “Are you good over there?”

He glances at Richie and notes with surprise that his face is a little redder than normal. He’s still smiling, but the laugh he lets out in response is weirdly nervous. “Yeah, I’m fine. It is kinda warm, actually. Dunno how you guys can handle it.” Then he shifts over until there’s maybe an inch of space between them, and Eddie kind of wants to die. _Shit shit shit he’s really figured it out and now he’s regretting everything fuck why did I join him god fucking damn it._

Then Bill says, very sudden and louder than necessary, “That’s t-true. I’ll g-go get us s-some drinks if you g-guys want?” He rises from the couch and flashes a quick smile at Eddie that confuses him enough that he’s able to stop panicking about Richie, though only a little bit. “C-Can you g-guys help m-me?”

“Oh, yeah,” Mike says, standing and then tugging Stan up after him. Stan sighs but goes along, muttering something under his breath that has Mike laughing. Once they’re inside, Beverly jumps up and offers her hand to Ben, who takes it with a bright grin.

“C’mon, we’ll go help, too. You guys,” she continues, gesturing to Eddie and Richie, “stay here and chill. We’ll be back in a few.” Then she winks and leads Ben into the house, who waves cheerfully before shutting the patio door after them. Eddie blinks before realizing, with a sinking stomach, that he and Richie are completely alone outside. In a hammock. Together.

The sudden silence is deafening.

“Do they really need five people to get drinks?” Richie finally murmurs, and maybe Eddie’s just projecting, but he sounds weirdly choked as he speaks, like the words are hard to get out.

“Maybe they just wanted to cool down,” Eddie suggests faintly. Whatever the reason, though, he is going to give them absolute hell after this. What the fuck were they thinking, leaving him out here with Richie? Especially considering that they’re all a little _too_ aware of Eddie’s stupid feelings for Richie. _God, what have I done to deserve this,_ he thinks with a heavy sigh.

“What’s up?” Richie asks, and Eddie feels rather than sees him turn to look at him, because their shoulders and now arms end up pressed together. Eddie doesn’t really want to move, but he also doesn’t want to weird Richie out, so he moves over the slightest bit so they’re no longer touching. “Oh,” Richie says then, and Eddie frowns.

“Oh, what?”

“It’s awkward, right? Sharing with me? It’s cool, I can take the ground if you want,” Richie replies, giving him an odd smile that looks more like a grimace. “You shoulda just said so at first, though. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Eddie squints at him, wondering what the hell’s gotten into Richie because he rarely apologizes for getting close to Eddie. “What? No, I – uh. Aren’t you, like, uncomfortable sharing? I thought–”

“But I’m the one who offered,” Richie says, and now he sounds confused, too. “So, uh, I’m fine with it if you are. Yeah.” Then he coughs awkwardly into his fist and mutters, “Fuck, I made this weird, huh?”

“I thought it was already weird,” Eddie says, and he feels himself blushing again, but he feels better when he sees that Richie is, too, and then a very tiny sliver of hope suddenly lights up inside him. He glances down to see that there’s still space in between them, so after he takes a slow, steadying breath, he eases himself over so that they’re pressed together again. Richie’s gaze flickers to their touching arms, his face growing darker, and Eddie says softly, “This isn’t… weird, though, right?”

The grin that Richie gives him is brighter than should be allowed. “Nope. This is cool.” And he lays down completely, even going and leaning his head against Eddie’s, his dark curls brushing Eddie’s cheeks, and Eddie wonders again if he’ll actually catch fire from blushing too much.

Though, if he does, right this moment, he probably won’t even notice.

-

Inside, the others all pile up against Bill’s patio window, peering out at their friends. When they see Richie smile down at Eddie and lay down next to him closer than should be physically possible, their group emits a mix of quiet cheers and giggles.

“Finally,” Stan says, rolling his eyes. “If only your parents had gotten the hammock sooner, Bill.”

“Let’s just rejoice in the fact that my plan worked,” Beverly says, grinning smugly. “Just a little push, and boom, now we don’t have to watch them dance around each other anymore.”

Mike leans back from the window to frown at them. “Okay, but if they’re actually together now, aren’t they just gonna be even more annoying? Like, I don’t think any of _us_ are that bad, but they’re probably gonna be _way_ worse.”

There’s a pause.

“Fuck,” Beverly says.

**Author's Note:**

> richie and eddie absolutely would be that annoyingly close couple and that's why the other losers lowkey regret helping them but in general they're happy for their friends uwu
> 
> so yeah this is short and random but i was Inspired by the apparent scene sksks again i have no idea if it's real or not so pls don't say anything!! from what i hear it is but i wanna be a little surprised when i watch the movie so yeah sksjdks
> 
> if you're curious you can find me on tumblr @bookrockshooter constantly screaming about reddie and various other things skjdsld
> 
> have a good day/night uwu! <3


End file.
